Intensive chemotherapy is the treatment of choice for elderly patients with acute myelogenous leukemia.

One-hundred and seven patients with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) ranging in age from 15 to 82 yr who were previously untreated, received a 70 day high-dose remission induction regimen consisting of daunorubicin, cytarabine, and thioguanine (TAD). Identical complete remission rates of 65% were observed for 33 patients 60 yr of age and older and for 74 patients age 15-59 yr. Median remission duration and survival were 14 mo and 22 mo for patients 60 yr and older, and 16 mo and 22 mo for patients 15-59 yr. These differences are not significant. These data indicate that older patients respond to intensive chemotherapy in a similar manner to younger patients with this disease.